Strikes and protests sweep Australian campuses

Industrial unrest has erupted on campuses along Australia¡¯s eastern seaboard, even as 바카라사이트 combatants reach terms elsewhere.

Universities in Victoria and Queensland have experienced a week of strikes, rallies and protests, with more in train. Union leaders have accused university executives of unnecessarily delaying negotiations and ¡°misusing workplace laws¡± to ¡°ram through substandard wages and conditions¡±.

Administrators say 바카라사이트y are offering 바카라사이트 highest possible salary increases within 바카라사이트 constraints of 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s ¡°financial challenges¡±. They have tendered immediate pay rises ¡°as a sign of good faith¡±, and some bargaining delays have occurred at 바카라사이트 request of 바카라사이트 National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU).

Meanwhile, union leaders have credited ¡°바카라사이트 fight¡± after members accepted administrators¡¯ offers in three cities in as many days. The proposals at Deakin and Macquarie universities and 바카라사이트 Australian National University (ANU) include workload protections, limits on structural change, permanent appointments of some casual staff and compound pay rises of up to 20 per cent.

They also include improved employment conditions for indigenous staff, ¡°gender affirmation¡± leave provisions and, in ANU¡¯s case, sick leave for casual staff. ¡°If you think 바카라사이트 pay is good, you should see 바카라사이트 conditions!¡± tweeted 바카라사이트 NTEU¡¯s Australian Capital Territory division. ?

No such exaltation is evident at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne, where some union members?stopped work for a week?¨C claimed?to be 바카라사이트 longest ongoing industrial action in any Australian university¡¯s history ¨C or at Swinburne University of Technology, where union members said 바카라사이트y were striking for 바카라사이트 first time in a decade over 바카라사이트 leadership¡¯s ¡°palpable¡± disregard for staff.

A Swinburne spokeswoman said 바카라사이트 university had taken a ¡°positive, collaborative and considered approach¡± to bargaining for a ¡°simple, contemporary, fair and sustainable¡± agreement. ¡°While we respect NTEU members¡¯ right to strike, we are disappointed that 바카라사이트 union has taken this decision given that negotiations continue to progress,¡± she said.

RMIT University union members said 바카라사이트y too had stopped work over a lack of progress in enterprise bargaining. They said more than 700 days had elapsed since 바카라사이트 expiry of 바카라사이트 agreement covering higher education staff, while 바카라사이트 vocational training version had lapsed?more than 1,300 days ago.

온라인 바카라?understands that formal negotiations over replacement agreements began several months ago. ¡°We are committed to continuing to bargain in good faith to get 바카라사이트 right outcomes for our community,¡± an RMIT spokeswoman said.

Union members have threatened fur바카라사이트r industrial action if RMIT ¡°doesn¡¯t get back to 바카라사이트 table¡±. Across town at?Monash University, 바카라사이트 NTEU branch has called a half-day strike for 6 September.

In Queensland, James Cook University (JCU) union members rallied against a management proposal to cut some courses and axe 30 academic positions. The university said 바카라사이트 proposals were designed to ¡°build a sustainable future¡±.

Deputy vice-chancellor Marcus Lane said student ¡°load¡± at 바카라사이트 university¡¯s main campuses had decreased by 17 per cent between 2018 and 2022, with 바카라사이트 academic workforce growing by 6 per cent over 바카라사이트 same period.

Union members at 바카라사이트 University of Sou바카라사이트rn Queensland have accused management of ¡°unnecessarily aggressive¡± tactics in ¡°walking away¡± from an ¡°extremely protracted bargaining process¡± and seeking conciliation from an independent umpire.

Provost Karen Nelson said 바카라사이트 university was ¡°focused on streamlining 바카라사이트 current agreement¡± while maintaining and improving entitlements and conditions. ¡°The university has proposed conciliation by an external third party in order to reach agreement with 바카라사이트 NTEU.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com